Pool iron and pool table pocket therefor

ABSTRACT

A pool table pocket iron of a unitary and integral structure having an arcuate body member adapted to be secured to the rails of a pool table. The iron has a recess in the lower portion of its outer face for receiving a fringe hanging flush with the outer face and an inner face adapted to be in fitting relationship with a ball pocket. The pool iron is coated with plastic to form a structure closely resembling an antique leather pocket. The general structure of the iron is adapted to fit standard specifications for attachment to pool tables.

United States Patent [191 Rubalcava May 6, 1975 POOL IRON AND POOL TABLE POCKET Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham THEREFOR Assistant ExaminerR T. Stouffer [76] Inventor: Raul Rubalcava, 3218 W.

Teranimar, Anaheim, Calif. 92804 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1973 A pool table pocket iron of a unitary and integral [21] APPL NW 320,887 structure having an arcuate body member adapted to be secured to the rails of a pool table. The iron has a recess in the lower portion of its outer face for receiv- [52] US. Cl. 273/12 ing a f i hanging fl h i the outer f and an Q i v inner face adapted to be in relationship a Fleld of Search C, pocket The pool iron is coated plastic to form a structure closely resembling an antique leather [56] References Cited pocket. The general structure of the iron is adapted to UNITED STATES PATENTS fit standard specifications for attachment to pool ta- 1,154,865 9 1915 Jaeger 273 12 bles- 3,733,072 5/1973 Nielsen r. 273/12 X 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 POOL IRON AND POOL TABLE POCKET, THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to pool table pockets and in particular to a unitary arcuate pool table pocket iron adapted to be secured to the rails of a pool table.

2. Description of the Prior Art Pool table pockets of the prior art which are made from leather in order to achieve desirable esthetic effects are typically fastened in place in the pool table on a pool iron by sewing or attachment thereto before the pool iron is attached to the side rails of the table during the manufacture thereof. The body portion of the pool table fastener is a solid iron structure semi-circular in plan. The iron is substantially enclosed in a leather covering to achieve the desired looks. A fringe may be sewed or otherwise fastened to the leather part on the outside to hide the pool pocket from exterior view and the inside is adapted to have a pocket fastened thereto. The iron part of the fastener device provides the structural integrity for fastening the rails of the pool table while the built up leather portion is adapted to receive the ball pocket and the fringe. In this manner, a pool table pocket of structural integrity and having desirable esthetic qualities, such as of the antique type, is realized.

The aforementioned prior art pockets wherein a pool iron is built up with leather material to form a pocket fastener and shield have been known and commercially acceptable for many years. However, in recent years the increase in labor and leather material costs have skyrocketed. The cost of manufacture of such pockets has become prohibitive. The ever increasing cost of the leather and the amount of labor consumed in the necessary hand operations during manufacture in order to form the leather over the iron pockets has prevented any significant improvement in manufacturing efficiency.

Since the esthetic qualities of a pool table, such as are achieved with an antique design using leather material, are essential to commercial acceptance, manufacturers are faced with the dilemma of either raising prices or producing an inferior pool table.

Several unsuccessful attempts have been made to duplicate the appearance of the leather pocket with plastic and other materials. The plastic constructions are structurally weak if made from inexpensive material, or prohibitively expensive if made from sophisticated high strength plastics. Additionally, the plastic pockets are not adaptable to receive the ball pocket or fitted with a fringe. Accordingly, it is a major object of this invention to provide a pool iron for holding a ball pocket and fastening the rails of a pool table of simpler and cheaper design while retaining the esthetic qualities of a leather pocket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the device of the present invention includes an arcuate rigid body member having end extensions for attachment to the rails of a pool table. The arcuate rigid body member is a single unitary structure and has a generally horizontal upper face and a generally vertical inner face and is adapted to receive a fringe hanging flush with the outer face and a standard pool pocket fitted against the inner face.

A major feature of the invention is the provision of a pool iron which completely takes the place of the prior art pocket structure of combined pool iron and leather while maintaining the same esthetic qualities and without requiring any change in the standard specifications of the pool table. The prior art combination of pool iron and built up leather covering is completely replaced by the unitary pool iron structure of this invention without any change in the design of the standard pool table. The simplified structure of iron is particularly adapted to be coated with plastic to closely resemble a leather type pocket.

The pool iron is designed to have a recess in the lower portion of its outer face for receiving a fringe to hide the pocket from exterior view. The fringe fits in the recess substantially flush with the outer face of the pool iron. The inner portion of the pool iron is especially adapted to receive a standard plastic pool pocket having a flange for fitting on the upper face of the pool iron with the outer face of the sides of the pocket fitting in snug relationship with the inner face of the pool iron.

A primary feature of the pool iron of this invention is to provide a complete unitary structure which is easily cast at a low cost and which is adapted to fit into a standard pool table connection between the rails of the pool table. Additionally the form of the pool iron is such that from a short distance it is difficult for the viewer to tell the difference between the plastic coated iron and the prior art leather and iron combination.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the pool table having a pocket equipped with a pool iron device embodying the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pool iron in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 1 at a point near one end of the pool iron; and,

FIG. 4 is an end view of the pool iron.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the device of the present invention may be utilized in any pool table or billiard arrangement to fasten the side rails, it is particularly adaptable to a standard size pool table such as that requiring a number 6 pool iron. In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a portion of a standard pool table having a pocket equipped with a pool iron according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The pocket iron indicated generally at 10 has a body 11 approximately semi-circular in plan with tangentially extending terminals 12, each having an aperture 13 extending terminals 12, each having an aperture 13 extending vertically downward through the extension of the iron. The iron 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 fitting into a standard corner pocket of a pool table. The iron could be equally adaptable to fit in a side pocket with the extension being in accordance with a standard dimension known in the art. The extending terminals 12 are adapted to be joined to adjacent members of side rails of 14 and 15 of a pool table in any customary manner which makes the side rails rigid with the pool iron 10. A ball pocket 25 fits within the iron 10 and is secured thereto in a manner to be described. The pocket 25 may be of any well known construction such as plastic and may be a standard pocket for use in a home type table or a gully type for use in a commercial table.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the iron is of a unitary, arcuate, rigid structure with the body member 11 having a generally upper face 18 which extends transversely outward and integral with an outer face 19 which curves downward and is provided at its lower portion by a recess defined by a vertical wall 20 terminating at an outer edge 21. The inner face 22 of the body 11 extends vertically downward from the upper face 18 in an oblique direction terminating at an inner edge 23. The inner edge 23 is joined to the outer edge 21 by a lower face 24 which is curved inward and downward as illustrated.

The upper face 18 and the inner face 22 are shaped to hold in place a standard ball pocket 25 which has an upper flange 26 fitting on the upper face 18 and is obliquely shaped at its outer face 27 to fit snugly against the inner face 22 of the body 11. A fringe 28 of sufficient length to shield the pocket 25 from exterior view has an upper portion 29 suitably adapted to be glued or otherwise attached to the vertical wall 20. The

depth of the recess is such that the fringe fits substantially flush with the outer face 19.

As shown in FIG. 4, an end view of the preferred embodiment, it may be seen that the upper face 17 is of sufficiently wide dimension to achieve the geometrical configuration of a smooth surface for adaptation with the pool rails in order to be of the same width as the pool rails.

The pool iron 10 may be suitably coated with a plastic material to achieve the look alike features which are desirable in order that from a short distance a viewer will be unable to distinguish the pool iron from a prior art iron covered with a leather. In this manner low cost in a unitary structure is achieved without affecting the esthetic qualities of the pocket.

While in the preferred embodiment the pool iron is made of cast iron, it is to be realized that a single unitary structure made of rigid plastic could be utilized if desired. The plastic would be suitably coated to duplicate the look of real leather.

While in the preferred embodiment a ball pocket of standard plastic type is illustrated, it is to be realized that other pockets can readily be used with the pool iron of the preferred embodiment. Alternatively, a gully type receiving pocket for use in a commercial coin operated pool table, could be easily adaptable to fit on the pool iron. Additionally, if it is desired to repair or replace the pocket it may be quickly removed by lifting up and out from the pool iron if there are no fasteners or threaded connections between the pockets and the pool irons.

Thus, it is evident from the arrangement illustrated and described, that an improved pool iron has been provided which substantially duplicates the esthetic features of prior art leather pockets, while greatly reducing the cost. The device of the present invention has in effect eliminated the need for leather in a pool table pocket without changing the esthetic leather qualities of appearance. A pool table constructed with the pool iron of the invention may be of the popular antique type substantially duplicating in esthetic quality the prior art antique tables constructed of higher cost leather pockets.

Although there has been described above one specific arrangement of a pool iron for pool table pockets in accordance with the invention for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, any and all modifications, variations or equivalent arrangements which fall within the scope of the annexed claims should be considered to be a part of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an arcuate pool table iron having a generally horizontal upper face and a generally vertical inner face, said iron having a generally outward and downward curved outer face having a recess in the lower portion thereof forming a vertical wall;

a ball pocket having its upper end formed by an annular flange fitted on said upper face; and

a fringe fitted against said vertical wall and substantially flush with said outer face.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein said generally vertical inner face extends obliquely from the inner edge of said upper face to form a slightly concave shaped face, and wherein the outer face of said ball pocket is shaped correspondingly to said inner face to fit snugly against said inner face.

3. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein the pool table iron is a single unitary cast iron structure.

4. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein said pool table iron is a single rigid structure made of plastic. 

1. In combination with an arcuate pool table iron having a generally horizontal upper face and a generally vertical inner face, said iron having a generally outward and downward curved outer face having a recess in the lower portion thereof forming a vertical wall; a ball pocket having its upper end formed by an annular flange fitted on said upper face; and a fringe fitted against said vertical wall and substantially flush with said outer face.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein said generally vertical inner face extends obliquely from the inner edge of said upper face to form a slightly concave shaped face, and wherein the outer facE of said ball pocket is shaped correspondingly to said inner face to fit snugly against said inner face.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein the pool table iron is a single unitary cast iron structure.
 4. The combination recited in claim 2, wherein said pool table iron is a single rigid structure made of plastic. 